thinne waterish humours and of superfluous corrupted Choller and Melancholly The best time of purging is in the Spring or Autumne and it were good for such as live very intemperately to purge once at the least or twice every yeare And for the manner of an exact purge Physitians say it is not amisse that the body be first opened with a Clister And if much bloud and sanguine humours abound and be corrupted to begin with Phlebotomy if age weakenesse or other occasion hinder not opening the Cephalica veine in the Arme and then the humours to bee made plyable to nature This being done now to expell concoct and purge the humours soundly which molest the body with such apt medicines as are appropriated to evacuate and purge such severall humours as doe abound therein If the stomacke and body bee very much stuft foule and corrupted it will not be amisse to use a vomit and after the same presently to take such things as will strengthen the weakned parts comfort the braine Heart Liver Splene and disperse the Reliques such as are Triacle Methridate and divers others If Intemperance and disorder have beene long used or if the disease be old it is not amisse to purge three or foure times gently because ill humours which have remained long in the body cannot so well be expelled by a suddaine purgation at once as by degrees It is good also for such as abound with Phlegme to purge the same by degrees at three or foure severall times rather then suddainly at once because clammy Phlegme will not easily and presently follow a suddaine Purgation But choller being more thinne and moveable is more easily purged But forasmuch as there are many and divers matters to bee observed herein as the humour which aboundeth The nature of the Disease The strength age and Complexion of the person The operation and force of the Purgation and the particulars thereof aptly to be sorted and appropriated to the nature of the disease and humours abounding Also how much how often to purge how farre to proceed and by what wayes and passages all which requiring a large discourse I referre the same and such as have occasion to use them to the advice of some honest skilfull practicall Physitian whose directions and assistance is most convenient and ought to bee had concerning these matters So may these Cures and Remedies be happily effected they being carefull that universals be in right manner sorted with particulars and the body and mind reduced to its naturall good Temper and disposition Concerning other Evacuations and particular Cures and Remedies of the many and divers severall Diseases incident to man Since they are too large to be treated of in this briefe and Compendious Discourse And are amply dilated and treated of by divers in great volumes and lesse necessary to be vulgarly knowne then the former prescriptions I omit The rather because I conceive That if the body be well purged of such ill humours as abound therein and afterwards a good and apt diet be observed it is sufficient for the cure of almost all Diseases especially such as are bred by Repletion which are the most common maladies of our age unlesse they be inveterate and uncureable However such directions and remedies may doe us much good and make the Temper of our bodies and minds much better then otherwise All these Rules and prescriptions are very good to be known and observed aswell by the healthy as the diseased and in their due use and observation may cause much benefit and happinesse Neither doe we want Remedies though the body be incureable we may remedy the miseries thereof by the mind which is its Governour and ought as much as it may to comfort the same for as the body workes upon the mind as hath bin shew'd So much more doth the mind worke upon the body For the reasonable soule being Immortall and Divine doth guide and governe the Animall Spirits which are the organs thereof as the fabricke of the parts of the body is the organ of these animall Spirits And these spirits like a quick light flame doe continually worke on the body as the soule doth on them they make the body lively and lighter partly by refining the moisture thereof and converting the same into themselves and also by infusing themselves into all the parts thereof enliving lightning quickning and spiritualizing the same The Divine and reasonable soule therefore ought as much as it may to spiritualize quicken and comfort the living Spirits in such sort that the body being guided by these spirits these wholly dependant on the reasonable soule and the soule being guided by divine grace which is as it were the life thereof and by faith having its Conversation in heaven with God viewing and enjoying thereby in some measure already his heavenly glory and felicities expecting the same hereafter to be revealed infinitely and to enjoy the same in perfection eternally even forgetteth the griefe of the body or rather doth convert even the senses and spirits thereof into the purer parts of the soule which in faithfull contemplation being possest with heavenly Joy in God the whole man is as it were spiritualiz'd and transported with divine pleasures However if by reason of our frailties and weakenesse we cannot attaine to such Divine extasies and transportations yet we may know that our Corruption shall put on Incorruption and our Mortality shall inherit Immortality 1 Cor. 15. That our fraile bodies shall be changed and made spirituall bodies like the glorious body of the Sonne of God Phil. 3 21 With whom we shall enjoy infinite happinesse for ever How may such faithfull Contemplations comfort vs in greatest maladies and distempers yea even in death it selfe since the same is a passage to heaven when ceasing to be as men wee shall begin to live the life of Angels with God himselfe in heavenly glory and happinesse But to Returne Now to remedy such passions of the mind as are most incident to these mixt distempers of the body which being compos'd as in a medley of all the superfluous humours adust corrupted and distempered doe cause the mind in a mixt distemper also to apprehend all things in a bad manner as having Enmity and so doth edge and eneager malice and provoke Revenge and Cruelty For remedies hereof Let vs consider that these evill dispositions of Envie hatred malice Revenge and Cruelty being seldome one without the other are Compounded of many other vices and are the occasions of many evils and even of destroying all humanity and goodnesse Envie and malice are strange passions Gnawing the heart and turning the good of another to the envious mans hurt Good and prosperous men as also their good deeds goods and prosperity are eye sores to envious malitious Spirits causing in them despight griefe and even gnashing of teeth While the envious mischievous man looketh obliquely upon the goods of another he looseth that which is good in himselfe or at least takes
men Let us also cōsider that this melancholy passion of feare may justly bring upon us those evils which we feare in distrusting divine Providence so that fearing to become miserable makes men oftentimes to become that which they feare and so turnes their Immaginary false feare into certaine miseries How many languish in feare of losses Poverty of disgrace c. And so live miserably and need not how many loose their friends by distrusting them and game diseases by fearing them yea some have dyed even for feare to dye so that feare seemes to serve to no other end but to make men find that which they fly from Feare hindereth a man in all good great and excellent undertakings and Actions Also in all joy and happinesse both earthly and heavenly It dejects and debases a man below the nature of beasts who by reason of their weakenesse want of reason are free from this folly and neuer afflict themselves with evils past or feares to come but freely enjoy all pleasures incident to their nature save onely when they feele present paine Let us not then so abuse that Divine and heavenly light of reason which God hath given us so as thereby to become more slavishly fearefull and worse then beasts which wee ought rather to imploy in the search and Enjoyment of fortitude Magnanimity and all felicity But if any man be so borne to a fearefull nature that yet notwithstanding by Prudence and wisedome he can acquire true valour and fortitude and when there is need thereof temper his naturall feares therewith hee is not onely free from basenesse but worthy of exceeding admiration who can change a weake passion commonly bad into true vertue Let us therefore by Prudence endeavour to arme our selves with fortitude against all vnworthy feares Let us consider that it is notable folly to feare that which cannot be avoided to make our selves miserable beforehand or to feare that which it may be will never come or if it doe may be converted to our felicity for oftentimes that which we most feare brings indeed most happinesse Nor is it amisse sometimes to Imagine the worst of evils before-hand but to this intent onely to endeavour to prevent or contemne not feare them Let us therefore endeavour to prepare our selves with fortitude and Resolution against the greatest miseries that may happen to imitate the best and most Couragious men to be as valiant as David to kill Goliah if he were now here not to feare ten thousand people Psal 3. Nor though the Earth should be remooved and the mountaines into the midst of the Sea Psal 46. Though wee were even at deaths doore Psal 23. So let us endeavour not to feare any danger in a good cause like St. Paul to be perswaded that neither life nor death Angels nor Devils shall ever be able to seperate us from the loue of God in Christ Feare not little flocke saith our Saviour it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome what a grosse absurdity is it for a Son of God an heire of heaven to be afraid Let us further consider the noblenesse and excellency of that heroicall vertue of fortitude which is the Contrary to and remedy of this timorous passion True fortitude is placed betweene the two extreames of Cowardlinesse and Rashnesse These excellent vertues namely Magnanimity Confidence Patience Noble resolutions Constancy and perseverance are the parts and Branches thereof It is as the most difficult the most glorious vertue and produced most excellent effects It is an Immortall good seated in the soule Arming the same against all perils and miseries taking away all unworthy feare of dangers difficulties sorrowes and of death it selfe advanceth the mind in a generous manner Prudently without feare Cowardlinesse and perplexity on the one side and without Impudency Rashnesse and Carelesseness on the other to aspire to and accomplish that which is most excellent and Commendable and finally Crowneth the mind with Triumph joy and happinesse Sorrow also is a passion most proper to this melancholly cold and dry humour It is a weake and languishing feeblenesse of spirit dejecting both body mind causing all other perturbations and is directly opposite to and hindereth alloy and Cheerefulnesse Yet truely some sorrowes some Crosses and afflictions in this world are in divers respects even necessary and good for us The same makes us wiser better more circumspect and diligent in all good and vertuous wayes Quickens refines and Illuminates all goodnesse yea all ensuing joyes and happinesse in vs. It is a fit mixture of Crosses adversity and sorrowes that makes even Prosperity joy and felicity vnwearisome most sweet and pleasant to us However we should rejoyce to know that all sorrow will haue an end either in heaven or before and that joy after sorrow past is most delightfull yea that sorrow it selfe may be converted also to the encrease of our heavenly joy and happinesse aswel on Earth as in heaven eternally as I haue elsewhere shewed more plainly Of all which See Terrestriall Paradice Section ij And Heaven within vs the xj Division Yet indeed we ought as farre as we can possible by all good meanes to avoid this melancholly passion of sorrow and all the occasions thereof The rather because it is the misery of all evils all vices and evill passions commonly end in this of sorrow sadnesse Jt defaces and dejects both body and soule It hindereth sleepe and rest causeth an ill stomacke ill digestion and consequently maketh a man looke pale leane dry wither'd and hindereth the whole health and welfare of the body and of the mind also weakning and quelling the same causing therein many other perturbations as feares cares distrust sometimes desperation and many mischiefes The same is most contrary to nature and reason which excite us to joy and cheerefulnesse J meane herein onely of worldly sorrow It maketh the mind unapt to performe all goodnesse and worthy enterprises or to receive any good any felicity for even pleasures and good fortunes are often displeasing to sorrowfull men to whom every thing is unsavoury as dainty meate to a corrupted stomacke and curious Musick to a distempered mind It maketh life it selfe tedious and irkesome and often causeth death before the time Let us therefore even scorne to bee of such a Melancholly sorrowfull weake dejected and pernitious temper Let us by all meanes endeavour to avoyd the same Let us as much as wee may possible by all pleasant and joyfull thoughts banish this displeasant passion of sorrow out of our minds Let us often bee thinking of such delights and customes as are most pleasing to our minds And sometimes let us recreate the same with change of delights and Novelties Sometimes it is also good to delight the mind in variety of pleasant conversation with moderate and lawful sports and Recreations with Banquetting Mirth Musicke and with all good and harmlesse pleasures in a good manner to drive away these melancholly
and good custome so that as their yeeres their vertue encreaseth and replenisheth their minds with internall Joy and happinesse Secondly Reason ought to direct us in this acquisition of Divine vertue for Reason is the light and life of vertue and as our eyes doe serue to guide our bodies so haue our soules great need of Reasons light to discerne vertue from vice True good from deceipt and forgery And even in Reason vertue appeares easie amiable and pleasant And vice painfull loathsom and displeasant It is onely an evill Custome that makes vice seeme pleasing and vertue displeasing for the essentiall part of vertue is said to be truth and of vice false-hood and it is more easie and pleasant in Reason to tell truth then a lye and so of all particulars in Reason Vice appeares painefull hatefull hurtfull and vertue easie louely pleasant and beneficiall as I shall shew more plainely in the ensuing Divisions Let therefore Reason informe our Judgements and both of them guide and instruct our wils for the will hath not any light from her selfe but is illuminated onely by the shining Rayes of the understanding That is by reason and judgment yet the act of the will is from it selfe though it bee directed by the understanding Wherefore if the will of man doe conjoyne it selfe with reason in the persuite of vertue then with great facility it is able to governe the sensuall Parts as a Lady and Mistresse within the precincts of divine Vertue But if our wills disdainefully contemne Reasons Councels and if in stead of mounting aloft to the divine excellency thereof it descends towards the ignoble part of intemperate sensuality and if it dedicates conjoyns it selfe thereunto it then becomes like her brutish Companion and in stead of being the Commander now becomes the slave of the body and consequently both of them ignoble and brutish whereas otherwise if the Will doe chuse to obey Reason rather then Passions and so preferre Heaven before the Earth the same doth make not onely it self but even those sensuall parts which it then commandeth as a Mistresse to become Divine and celestiall and the whole Mind to be filled with true joy and felicity For certainly if wee will be guided by the divine light of Reason wee shall plainly see That vertue is inwardly most excellent pleasant lovely and delightfull alwayes crowning the followers thereof with true pleasure even with a Paradice of delights and happinesse Then also should we plainly see of which more hereafter That vice and wickednesse however painted over with the gay out-side of ostentation and hypocrisie of seeming felicity is indeed most deceitfull inwardly all deformed and loathsom alwayes ingendring and breeding discontent and sorrow Rewarding at last the followers thereof with a multitude of griefes perturbations and miseries Insomuch that if wee would indeed be directed by reasons divine Councels wee should greatly detest and immediatly forsake all vice and wickednesse wee should then presently be enamour'd with divine Vertue embracing the same with swift desires with open armes and Rejoycing therein with most pleasant delights and happiness Thirdly Exercise and Custome is necessary to conforme and confirme us in this vertuous and happie Way for continuall use of the Mind in vertues divine Pathes doth deeply impresse the same therein so as it becommeth thereby more excellent and even habituall in us And to such as are truly accustomed to vertue the same becomes most easie pleasant and delightfull Wherefore wee are First to avoid Sloth and Idlenesse in our selves Secondly the idle unprofitable and dangerous Company of vicious men both as hinderances to this vertuous Exercise and Custome Thirdly in all our endeavours herein we are to make a good use of all accidents of our owne experience and of the examples of others Fourâ—â—ly in all respects well to use and imploy our time herein And fifthly to goe on with due Perseverance towards the perfection of vertue and happinesse of all which more plainly yet briefly First let us contemne Sloth and Idlenesse as an hinderance to this vertuous exercise for why such as lead their lives in lazy slothfulnesse doe much endamage not onely the health of their bodies dulling and putrifying the same but also their minds which are thereby also soone corrupted with sottish dulnesse and evill thoughts even as water in a standing Poole soone becomes muddy and noysome for when the mind is not busied in some laudable thoughts or actions either 〈◊〉 lazy dulnesse evill desires or sullen sadnesse commonly creepes in and hinders the same in all goodnesse in all happinesse And on the contrary let us endeavour with an active quicke stirring and lively Spirit to goe on in all vertuous and happy wayes Secondly we are to avoid all dangerous idle and unprofitable company as an hinderance to this good use and exercise of vertue and happinesse The rather because evill examples are notable Corrupters of civill demeanours and dangerous depravers of a good disposition and on the contrary let us frequent and be inwardly familiar with onely such company as are good and vertuous Thirdly let us endeavour by all accidents by our owne experience and by the examples of others to avoid all vices and miseries and to embrace all vertue and happinesse in all our endeavours while we goe on in these vertuous Wayes and Exercises Then which there cannot be a more familiar plaine easie and usefull doctrine Fourthly in generall Let us still remember to imploy our time well in such things as are good and profitable The rather considering that nothing is more precious then time on which dependeth the accomplishment of all our affaires and actions and which if we neglect can never be recalled And lastly let us forward all good beginnings in this exercise with due perseverance So will this excellent Treasure of Vertue this happinesse of the Mind which we seeke for be in good time so deepely impressed in our Minds as the same will even become naturall habituall very easie and pleasant to us By this discourse wee may perceive That next under GOD all good beginnings in this blessed way of Vertue proceed from Education The happy progresse and ample encrease thereof from Reasons Precepts and the confirmation and full accomplishment thereof from use and exercise So then let us goe on in this happy way of vertue which certainely will leade us in good time to that Paradice of perfection whose entertainement is true pleasure true happinesse So if our soules were truely wise to seeke out vertues wayes We then should find a Paradice of pleasant sweetest joyes THE III. DIVISION How the Body worketh upon the Mind and how wee may and ought thereby to mainetaine and encrease the felicity thereof A Well tempered healthy body is an occasion of a long and happy life wherein we may enjoy this Paradice within us which we seeke for And the mind thereby will become well prepared and fitted for all vertuous Dispositions exercises and Contemplations
and to enjoy all the felicities thereof both earthly 〈◊〉 heavenly Let us therefore by all meanes seeke to preserve the welfare of our bodies since the same is so great a furtherance to the felicity of the mind And the rather because otherwise if the body be unhealthy and distempered the same will bee a burthen to the mind whose Instrument it is and so hinder it in the performance of all excellent matters and in the possession and enjoyance of all delights and happinesses both earthly and heavenly and instead thereof cause therein much distemper perturbation discontent evill and misery Because this matter is of great consequence I shall briefely endeavour to shew how the body thus worketh upon the mind That the humours of the body are an occasion of Passions and perturbations of the mind is a received ground among all Physitians and Philosophers It is well knowne in Philosophy that the affections of the mind doe follow the apprehensions of the phansie And Physitians doe well know that the apprehensions of the Phansie are conformable to the dispositions of the body and the humours that are predominate therein They tell us and Experience also teacheth us that the Cholericke humours if excessive being fiery and impetuous make the â—pprehension to bee swift and violent exciting to Anger and Rashnesse The Melancholy being cold and dry bring feare sorrow and darke thoughts Phlegme being cold and moyst maketh the apprehension to become dull slow and without vigour And too much bloud being hot and moyst excites to sensuall Lusts Prodigality Riot and the like A mixture of excessive inflamed and corrupted Choller Melancholy and other humours causeth the Phansie to apprehend things as having enmity excites to hatred Revenge Frowardnesse and to desperate mischiefes and miseries So that it is apparant the body workes upon the Mind and the excessive distempered humours thereof doe also annoy and distemper the Mind But how Not by depriving it of any power or faculty given it of GOD as some say which remaines without diminishing but by corrupting the next instrument whereby the mind worketh and consequently the action it selfe which commeth to passe by reason that the evill humours of the body do send up grosse and maligne fumes into the braine annoying the animall Spirits which are most thinne and subtill vapours proceeding from the bloud and the Instruments whereby the mind worketh and performeth the actions thereof Those Spirits are a medium betwixt the mind and the body as some say Others that they participate of both and being refined enlivened and quickned by the reasonable and divine Soule they become of a middle nature betweene Ayre and Flame being pure and undistempered they cause in the mind Tranquility Joy and good desires The Ayrie part raising quicke pleasing and delicate conceits in the Phansie and the Flame inciting noble and active desires in the soule But these Spirits being distempered dulled and corrupted by the maligne fumes proceeding from ill humours The dispositions and actions of the mind also by reason thereof will become corrupt and evill for these animall Spirits being the medium betwixt the body and the mind participating of both and the next instrument whereby the mind and body worke upon each other being corrupted and distempered the mind therefore grieveth and distempereth it selfe at the distemper of these Spirits and so of the body And therefore cannot please it selfe or effect any excellent matter having such distempered corrupted Instruments to worke withall So that although the Spirit be willing yet the Corruptions and weakenesse of the flesh will pervert the actions thereof and the dull distempered body cannot bee capable to effect or know the good dictates operations and Inducements of the soule But both being annoyed by evill humours and those distempered Spirits become out of Temper and Corrupted It being apparant that the body thus workes upon the mind it is of very great Consequence that we take diligent care of the good temper health and welfare of our bodies The usuall directions prescribed to mainetaine our bodies in good health and due temper are a convenient proportion and moderation in these which Physitians call the sixe non-naturall Things according to Galen's Division Which are 1 Ayre 2 Meate and Drinke 3 Sleepe and watch 4 Labour and rest 5 Emptinesse and Repletion 6 The affections and passions of the mind All which are by divers Authors at large treated of and described But for asmuch as neither the matter of Diet nor the quantity thereof nor the use and observation of those other non-naturall things ought to be the same in all sorts of people but very different according to the diversity of Ages Complexions Constitutions and the like It is therefore good that every man be well skilled in the Temperament of his body and mind that he may be a Rule unto himselfe in that which is best for him Hence that Proverbe hath its probability Every man is eyther a Foole or a Physitian Let therefore every man survey himselfe and if he find the plight and state of his body to be in equability and of a perfect Temper Let him cherish and preserve himselfe in this good estate which is to be done by a due order apt proportion and convenient moderation of these things before mentioned Namely with little alteration according to that in Hippocrates Aphorisme Ayre Meat Drinke Exercise Sleepe Venus and affections of the Mind But if our bodies doe any way decline from a good Temper and Disposition Then had we need to recure the same by all good endeavours and Remedies To rectify therefore and remedy the ill Temperament of our bodies Let us observe these directions First to forbeare and disuse such things as are an occasion of the distemper or any way hurtfull Secondly to enjoyne our selves to a contrary order of Usage and Diet. Thirdly to evacuate and empty the body of ill humours and of such things as are an occasion of the distemper Of all which I intend briefly to discourse in the ensuing Divisions in a mixt way according to the foure severall Complexions together with directions concerning the divers passions and affections of the mind incident to each Complexion or humour abounding tending to the eschewing of the infelicity or misery of the mind and to encrease the felicity thereof But in the observation of the following Physicall directions we are to observe this Caution That seeing the many and severall Rules and observations therein though briefly prescribed we doe not too scrupulously and precisely tye our selves to such a multitude of particulars nor perplexe our selves in the observation therof for why those good effects for which they are severally prescribed may be happily effected if we doe but observe some part of those directions so much onely as wee may with conveniency And J have the rather collected and mentioned so many and divers particulars and many such as are very common and easie to be attained and observed to the intent we may
the Spirits aswell as the Body Dancing Shooting Riding Bowling Tennis Stoole-ball Running and all stirring Exercises It is good for them to endeavour by all meanes to be of a quicke and stirring disposition of Body and Mind and often to sollace the same with active and pleasant Sports Recreations and Contemplations These or some of these Directions if but observed in a convenient manner without perplexity or much nicenesse may doe them much good for by these meanes the superfluous humidity and moysture of the Braine and the Cold Raw Crude Phlegme in the stomack will be dissolved and consumed and consequently the obstructions and distempers caused therby will be removed The passages of the Spirits made free and the Spirits themselves rarified and brought to their right quality Also the memory and understanding cleered In summe The whole Body and Mind made free cleere quickned reduced to and maintained in a good temper and disposition and so apt and well prepared to enjoy all true happinesse Secondly Philosophically For Remedies against those Slow Dull Carelesse Sottish lazy Humours and Dispositions Let us first consider the miseries thereof briefly The same are the fountaines of Poverty of base-mindednesse and contemptible conditions If wee could truely consider how much happinesse we may attaine unto in a life time by being Diligent Carefull Active Considerate and industrious and how much misery we may bring upon our selves by Sloth Sottishnesse and Carelessenesse The same would plainely appeare to be a very great hinderance of happinesse and a very great mischiefe and misery Idlenesse and Sloth doe very much annoy both the Body and Mind for want reason thereof the Body for want of exercise commonly becomes filled with putrified and grosse humours with Crudities Obstructiōs Rheumes and very subject to all the Diseases springing from thence The same dulleth the spirits causing Melancholly Sadnesse Peevishnesse sullen fits and a multitude of evill thoughts feares and perplexities all which are familiar to idle slothfull persons Sloth and Idlenesse is the bane of all goodnesse profit and worthy actions causing griefe irkesomnesse and hindering all true joy and pleasure in all good wayes Let us therefore detest the same let us scorne to live in the world like heavie lumpish carelesse slow lazy sotts and blocks as if wee were borne to no other end but to come into the world stay there a while eate drinke sleepe grow sicke and dye And let us endeavour by all meanes to stirre up our minds to the Contemplation of high and notable things To have variety of noble and excellent thoughts within us To apply our selves to the acquisition of all heroicall vertues especially those of Prudence and Fortitude to scorne and despise low unworthy matters and to dedicate our selves to worthy difficult and notable actions To esteeme our selves free and at will To endeavour on good grounds to bee resolute wilfull magnanimous and to stand upon our owne bottomes To arme our selves against the worst of fortune To endeavour to imitate the best and worthiest men in their most sublime and excellent actions Greatly to desire and endeavour to be quicke and high spirited Me thinks such Considerations and endeavours should presently rouze up our dull carelesse grosse sluggish Minds and make them quicke active lively and sprightfull Thirdly to these I might adde some Divine remedies and directions To instance briefly This Sacred Science of Divinity teacheth us That if we will exalt our selves wee must first be meeke and humble Let us then deny our selves like King DAVID as Wormes and no men as miserable wretches deserving the miseries of Earth and Hell But let this denyall of our selves make us looke to our Saviour and as he councels Rev. 3. Buy of him fine Gold white Rayment Eye salve c. All divine and heavenly Graces So then being reconciled to GOD in CHRIST our Saviour trusting and relying on him and endeavouring to goe on in his divine Pathes though wee be in our selves like the Laodiceans poore blind wretched and miserable yet in him wee way and ought to thinke our selves Rich free happie blessed creatures little lower then the Angels Psal 8. Partakers of the divine Nature 1 Pet. 1.3 That wee are the Sonnes of God himselfe heyres of a most bright glorious eternall heavenly Kingdome That wee are the worlds Masters and that the Devils are our Slaves and vassailes That our Bodies shall shine eternally in heaven and be made Spirituall and glorious bodies like to that of the Sonne of God Phil. 3.20 That our Soules shall bee united to God made one with him as members of himselfe Like him as St. Iohn signifieth 1 Ioh. 3.2 and with him shall raigne eternally in Heaven tryumphing and enjoying infinite pleasures and happinesse for ever How may such thoughts raise our Minds and even strike quickning flashes of Heaven in us before-hand if wee could truly thinke of their excellency and make us of a sprightfull Angel-like Divine and heavenly temper on Earth So let 's advance our Minds to high desires To sprightfull quicknesse to Coelestiall fires Divinest Raptures Let such thoughts possesse Vs with a Paradice of happinesse THE V. DIVISION Concerning Sanguine Complexions and such as are of conceited vaine glorious and of Intemperate voluptuous Minds exciting to Meekenesse humility and to moderate delectation SUch men as are of a Sanguine Complexion which humour is hot and moyst if they accustome and betake themselves to good courses they are commonly cheerfull merry and pleasant therein And so if they use thir naturall good parts well adicting themselves to vertue and goodnesse They usually become most excellent therein and gaine to themselves much worth and happinesse But if they neglecting vertue give themselves to vice they commonly become very phantasticke selfe-conceited bragging and vaine-glorious also very Luxurious Intemperate profuse Prodigals and lewdly voluptuous Wherefore to keepe themselves in good temper both of body and mind to prevent and mittigate such diseases as usually arise from superabundant corrupt or inflamed bloud also to allay excessive and extravagant passions and affections incident thereunto and to bring both their bodies minds to a good temper and disposition and so to maintaine the same therein let them observe such Directions as ensue It is good therefore especially for men of this Complexion if their bloud abound or bee corrupted and if Age weaknesse or other cause hinder not especially in the Spring or Autumne to be let blood and to keepe a good Dyet after the same for hereby the old corrupted moysture of the body being evacuated in stead thereof new and purer is introduced and bred Let them commonly use a temperate coole and loose dyet oftentimes forbearing such as nourishes plentifully or if they doe eate such as Flesh Milke and Egges let them eate good store of Bread therewith Also let them eschew too much Sack Ale and such like too sweet and too strong Wine and liquors which heate and nourish much Let their Exercise be not too
violent nor too remisse their sleepe also indifferent Hearbes cold in operation are good for them of which divers are particularly mentioned in the next Division to prevent and allay the inflamations of Blood and the diseases and passions incident thereunto It is good for them also in the Spring especially to correct and cleuse the blood with Fumitary Sene Succory Endive and others To use cooling and opening Clisters Potions Julips c. By which or some of which meanes if but observed onely with conveniency the distempers and passions which usually arise from overmuch inflamed and corrupted blood may bee happily prevented removed allayed or mittigated And both the body and mind made well disposed to performe all the offices and functions belonging thereunto to enjoy all good pleasures and felicities and so to bee maintained in such good temper and disposition Further concerning the dispositions of the Mind most incident to this Sanguine humour and to direct and rectifie the same Forasmuch as the spirits issuing from hot and lusty blood which in vertues wayes excite the mind to vain-glorious bragging and phantastick conceitednesse Let us therefore consider That this vaine-glorious selfe-conceited humour is the mother of Pride Arrogance Scorne Contempt slaunder detraction and of sundry other vices and ill conditions And that if these kind of men be conceited of doing well in a course of evill it establishes them Cock-sure therein So as they cannot be crossed with a greater infelicity then in setling their happinesse in such vices wherein indeed consists their misery So as they will not imagine themselves to be miserable nor credit those that doe perswade the same untill they doe indeed bring upon themselves the smart and miseries incident to such vices as they accustome themselves unto Further that every Repulse cōtempt injury slander disgrace and contumely doth much more vexe these selfe-conceited men then others This Condition also hindereth good Actions for when wee once thinke our selves wise and good enough wee then become Fooles as King Salomon speaketh for then we commonly neglect to seeke for more wisdome and goodnesse thinking wee are well enough already when indeed a truly wise man knowes that there is infinitely more Wisdome beyond him then in him Nor can there bee any men more unlikely to attaine to any excellency then such whose minds are possessed with the cunning seisure of false Perswasions blinding and debarring them from seeing and seeking the meanes to attaine thereunto Wherefore it shewes most notable wisdome and modesty in a wise and good man to suspect himselfe to be easily confuted of his errors and to thanke you for telling him thereof To thinke and know that there is farre more Wisdome and goodnesse beyond himselfe then in himselfe and with a longing desire still to seeke for more Happie indeed is such a man Our Saviour saith it Blessed are the meeke in Spirit saith hee for they shall inherite the Earth Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse for they shall be filled It seemes the felicities of Earth and Heaven doe most properly belong to such as are meeke in Spirit such as seeing their owne frailties and emptinesse doe still long after and seeke for more vertue and goodnesse Further to direct and rectifie the Mind herein Forasmuch as such men in whom this Sanguine humour doth abound if they let loose their appetites to runne after vice and evill wayes their hot moyst and lusty spirits will excite them to Intemperate-voluptuousnesse in all Luxurious riotous and prodigall courses Let us consider the evill and miserable effects of such vicious Courses and dispositions It is wonderfull truly to think how many infelicities and miseries doe hereby come to mens Bodies Minds Estates Fortunes Credit c. Insomuch as many thousand persons yea whole Families Cities and Kingdomes have by reason of such ill courses come to Ruine Let us thinke of the Vanity emptinesse unprofitablenesse deceipts and miseries thereof They passe away as a vapour a dreame a shadow and are gone Their duration is but a moment in respect of Eternity They do notably cozen and mocke us They have stings in their tayles their choysest Flowers bring foorth but Thornes To the body these Intemperate voluptuous and luxurious courses doe often cause many evill corrupted Humours strange Maladies Griefes and distempers From whence spring the common Diseases of our Times but from Intemperate-voluptuousnesse To the Mind also These vices doe often so besot the same as it becomes very unfit for any good thoughts or actions either Humane or Divine And the Spirits being thereby distempered the Mind becommeth prone to evill thoughts and desires and the Passions so enthralled that a multitude of perturbations discontents and vexations are thereby caused So that indeed what are these Intemperate evill pleasures but fugitive follies mixt with many Maladies Distempers Cares Feares Jealousies and disturbances In the end what doe they bring foorth but Diseases Passions and perturbations as Melancholy Sadnesse Sullennesse Discontent Griefe and Sorrow which like so many stings doth annoy both Body and Mind Happie are we if we can avoid the same And further let us consider That we may enjoy much more happinesse in the temperate vertuous use desire and enjoyance of earthly Pleasures then in the intemperate vitious use thereof as I have else-where shewed and dilated For the Temperate man his body is commonly cleere and free from unnecessary Crudities Rheumes noysomnesse ill Diseases and distempers and so most Healthfull agill lightsome and expedite to performe all the motions and exercises appertaining thereunto His mind also is cōmonly free from Sloth dulnesse evill passions and perturbations His affections well tempered and his whole Soule apt perspicuous free and cheerefull in the performance of all the actions and exercises thereof There are no men in the world that live more healthfully prosperously pleasantly joyfully and in all respects happily then Temperate vertuous men They seeme to go to Heaven all the way of their life as it were in a faire and pleasant day treading on Roses and Violets and environ'd with a Paradice of pleasures and happinesse Hee then who hath a meeke and temperate Mind Within himselfe doth sweet contentment find His life 's compos'd of golden dayes and howers His wayes are strew'd with sweetest pleasant flowers Of happinesse In these sweet Pathes still treading As in a Paradice to Heaven leading THE VI. DIVISION Of Cholericke Complexions Such as are of Haughty Ambitious Angry Rash violent furious Minds exciting to Mildnesse meeknesse moderation contentation tranquility and to all Affable sweet pleasing Conditions NOw concerning such men in whom the humor of Choller doth abound which is hot and dry Such men if they adict themselves to good courses and to follow vertues lore They commonly become zealous resolute couragious active stirring subtill politicke in all good wayes But if they give themselves to vice and walke in her pathes they usually become very proud haughty and ambitious notable
sorrowfull dispositions There are abundance and variety of delights and pleasures within this vast pallace of the universe to recreate and please all our sences and spirits Even a Terrestriall Paradice of happinesse of which J have taken a briefe view in a former Booke And also wee may by faithfull and heavenly Contemplations enjoy even a Paradice of heavenly delights on Earth within us of which more hereafter Let us then endeavour by enjoying so many and such excellent delights and felicities both earthly and heavenly within us to possesse our minds with true Peace Ioy Lightsomenesse Mirth and Pleasure Then which nothing is more excellent wherein consisteth this happinesse of the Mind This Paradice within us which we seeke for So if wee could this joyfull lightsomenesse This mirth and pleasure in our minds possesse A pleasing Paradice then should wee find Within vs in this happy pleasant Mind THE VIII DIVISION Of mixt Complexions and various minds of such as are of envious malicious revengeful cruel obstinate froward sullen desperate minds exciting to love kindnesse clemency humanity cheerefulnesse and in generall to all vertue joy pleasure and happinesse SUch men as are of mixt Complexions if they bee of a perfect good temper That is of an equall mixture a convenient agreement and proportion of the quality and quantity of each clement and of pure humours and spirits wherein no excesse no disorder or disagreement is to bee found faulty or blame-worthy such men if they give themselves to good and vertuous Courses are most fit and well disposed for all vertue and goodnesse to undertake and accomplish all worthy and excellent matters To attaine and enjoy all true pleasure and happinesse Let such men therefore by a good diet and due observation of a convenient proportion and moderation or these sixe Non-naturall things before mentioned in the third Division cherish and mainetaine themselves in this good Temper both of body and mind And by all good endeavours still goe on in this happy way of vertue which leadeth us to the Paradice of joy and felicity But if such men shall give themselves to vice and wickednesse especially if to Intemperance and Prodigall dissolute courses They doe oftentimes in tract of time notwithstanding their excellent temper become most unhealthy and distempered in body and their minds most prone and forward to all the worst and most pernitious vices and misecries for as one well observeth That notable wickednes commonly proceeds not so much from a weak fraile dull lumpish and distempered nature as from an excellent nature that is corrupted by evill company evill manners Intemperance and custome in dissolute and vicious courses And wee may observe that many men by Intemperate Luxurious dissolute Courses from perfect well tempered men doe become of body fat grosse lazy dull lubbers stuft with corrupted phlegme and evill melancholly humors And yet notwithstanding inflamed with hot bloud and very Chollericke Also the conditions of the mind very various and vicious But most properly disposed to and possest with Envie Malice Hatred Revenge And such vices and evils as proceed from thence Also commonly very froward sad surly sullen testy quarrelsome obstinate and strangely Melancholly and discontented Yet sometimes indeed though seldome when the Sanguine humour is predominate or heated by Wine or suddaine pleasing objects they become very merry loud familiar pleasant and joviall But this humour lasteth not and as soone as the heate or the liquor and the vapours thereof are refrigerated and pestered in the braine and the former pleasant objects either removed or after a little while thought upon being past they become worse then before more Sullen Sad Surly froward malitious obstinate and discontented Insomuch as in processe of time by long use and custome in vitious Courses even among their Cups Lasses and Joviall Companions they oftentimes become extreamely vext sad sullen froward quarrelsome and discontented Yea insomuch as sometimes even in laughter their harts are sorrowfull as King Salomon speaketh and the end of their vitious dissolute pleasures becomes as bitter as Worme-wood and sometimes turned even to desperate griefe and misery These mixt distempers of body and mind are by some Physitians called unnaturall Melancholy arising from a mixture of excessive corrupted distempered humours as either from Choller Melancholly and bloud adult and Corrupted or else from abundance of unnaturall and unnecessary humours in the body caused contracted corrupted inflamed and distempered by intemperance and disorderly courses insomuch as a Medley of diseases and perturbations are oftentimes thereby occasioned For Remedies whereof First concerning Diet we can safely prescribe neither a hote cold moist nor indeed any kind of diet or usage therein to doe such men good without some hurt to some of their infirmities and ill humours onely we are to tell them That there is nothing better for them then a spare obstemious Diet for much Diet of what kind soever doth nourish and encrease some of the ill humours of their bodies But a very spare diet both of meate and drinke as one temperate meale or two in a day at the most and those of such kind of diet as is wholesome and not too much nourishing is most good for them for by this meanes if observed commonly though perchance not alwaies but onely with conveniency and without too much nicenesse the Crudities Rheumes and superfluous ill humours in the body will in good time by little and little be consumed or at least well mittigated drayned and cleered obstructions opened and the passages of the spirits also made cleere and free So as the mind likewise will be lesse clogged with the grosse vapours proceeding from fulnesse and repletion and from those multitude of Corrupted humours in the body and so made free and expedite to performe all the functions thereof so as not onely the passions and affections will be molified and better tempered but the whole soule made more free and cheerefull in the performance of all the Actions and exercises thereof In summe by this most excellent medicine of a spare diet A most corrupted body and mind full fraught with evill humours and dispositions may be cured cleered and reduced to a good temper and disposition at least in a good measure And indeed it were very good for such men also speedily to purge and evacuate those ill humors out of their bodies which doe so annoy and distemper them for purging is especially to be used by such as have distempered their bodies by intemperance and ill Courses for all excesse doth adde to the ill humours in the body which disperse through the same And after in time encreasing and contracting doe fill and corrupt the body causing therein many infirmities and diseases So as such distempers of the body as have their beginning from repletion which are indeed almost all the diseases of our times are to be remedied by evacuation and principally by purging medicines emptying the body of unnecessary phlegme and seriosity or